Door and gate latch



Jan. 1, 1952 F. DAHLINGHAUS ,003

DOOR AND GATE LATCH Filed June 15, 1949 Fig.1. I as as 12. an 2.4 v 10 2'. s a I II I II I BYM INVENTOR.

Bank D4112] inghuu-s Patented Jan. 1, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Y 1 Claim.

This invention relates to an improved latch for gates, doors and the like, the general object of the invention being to provide latch means of simple construction and one which can be easily and quickly operated and which will firmly hold the barrier closed when in operative position, but which cannot be opened by hogs, sheep, cattle, horses or other animals rubbing themselves against it or trying to operate it with their noses.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a device of the character described which can be installed simply and easily on doors or gates of stables or the like in place of the ordinary single-bar-latch that can be opened easily by an animal.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a device of the character described which is simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture, but which also is sturdy, durable and well adapted to withstand the rough usage to devices of this type usually are subjected.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claim, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred forms of the invention have been shown.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a preferred embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same; and,

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Similar reference'characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawing, the numeral ,2 denotes an open casing or a longitudinal loop-shaped member consisting of a strip of metal or the like which is curved at 4 intermediate its ends and whose end portions are secured one upon the other by means of rivets 6 or by welding or the like. Registering perforations 8 are extended through said end portions for facilitating the securing of the device to a door (not shown) by means of a staple or the like extended through the perforations 8. One branch ID of the member 2 is provided with a slot l2 and is preferably straight, while the other branch I4 is inclined from the curved portion of said strip towards the end of the straight branch and has preferably a widened portion [6 which is provided with a large slot 18. A preferably T-shaped latch member 26 having downwardly curved flange portions and a notched section 22 intermediate its flange portions and being with its foot portion pivotally secured at 24 to the inner side of the not slotted portion of branch I0 is adapted for engaging a hook or staple 26 (Fig. 1) which is extended from a door post (not shown) through the slot 12. The web portion of the latch member 20 preferably is provided with a laterally protruding tongue section 28 for facilitating the moving of the member 26 around the pivot 24. If the member '20 is in the position indicated in Fig. 2 by dash-and-dotted lines, it is out of engagement with the hook or staple 26, so that the door can be opened. The member 20 being shielded at both sides by the branches l0 and I4 is accessible only to the fingers of the human hand and cannot be manipulated by an animal.

Since certain changes may be made in the above article and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which as a matter of language might be said to fall therebetween.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A device of the character described comprising a longitudinal casing being open at its top and bottom and made of a metal strip curved so as to form a loop-shaped member and having its end portions secured to one another, registering perforations being provided in said end portions, one half of said strip which forms one branch of said loop-shaped member being straight and provided with a longitudinal slot, the major portion of the other half of said strip being in spaced relation to the straight half and having a widened slotted section opposite the slot of said straight half; and a T-shaped latch member having its foot portion pivotally secured to said straight half of the strip and extending with its flange portion between both halves of said strip and over a portion of the slot in the straight half of said strip.

FRANK DAI-ILINGI-IAUS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 150,564 Gilmore May 5, 1874 160,723 Smith et a1 Mar. 9, 1875 967,942 Lawrence Aug. 23, 1910 1,673,329 Hart June 12, 1928 

